


So Small A Thing

by malinaldarose (coralysendria)



Category: Earth: Final Conflict
Genre: Community: trope_bingo, Curtain Fic, Gen, Sewing, Trope Bingo Amnesty, Trope Bingo Round 14
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:01:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25049578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coralysendria/pseuds/malinaldarose
Summary: Lili loses a button right before a formal event.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	So Small A Thing

**Author's Note:**

> This fills the Curtain Fic square on my Trope Bingo Round 13 Card for Round 14's Amnesty.

Despite her ridiculously uncomfortable strappy shoes, Lili Marquette stomped -- there was no other way to describe it -- into Da'an's reception chamber, the bodice of her gown held closed with her left hand, a jeweled black button clenched tightly in her right fist. It was bad enough that she had to attend this evening's charity gala as both Sandoval's aide _and_ as backup security -- her flowing skirt camouflaged the weapon holstered on her thigh -- without also having to deal with a wardrobe malfunction. Normally, she could avoid these glitzy parties because Zo'or considered them beneath him, but for some reason, the Synod leader was attending this evening's affair, which meant that Sandoval was attending, which meant that Lili must, perforce, also attend.

And now she had lost a rather strategic piece of her gown, with no time to get it mended or change her clothes, and her feet already hurt. She didn't want to even _think_ about spending all evening in these shoes. She felt more than entitled to a bit of stomping.

As she had hoped, Da'an, who was also making an appearance at the evening's festivities, had not yet left the embassy, so Liam was still at his desk. She spared a moment to admire his tuxedo; it was rare to see him dressed up and he pulled it off nicely. She might have suspected he had asked Augur for sartorial advice if she hadn't already known that the evening's dress code had been decreed by Sandoval. Basic black only; no colorful bow ties or cummerbunds. Dress shoes, no boots. And for Lili, a gown instead of a tuxedo of her own which would have been far more practical and comfortable.

 _Next time, I'm going to wear a tuxedo and damn Sandoval's orders,_ she thought furiously.

Liam, who couldn't have avoided hearing her approach, looked up from whatever he was working on, his eyebrows rising at her thunderous expression. "What's wrong?"

"I popped a button," she replied. "Do you happen to have a safety pin in your desk?" She didn't try to keep the irritation out of her voice; Sandoval would notice the pin, of course, and reprimand her for her sloppy appearance that tarnished the image of the Companions. She snarled at his imagined voice.

Without even opening a drawer to check, Liam shook his head. "I don't."

"Dammit!" Lili at least managed to keep her voice to a low hiss, instead of a frustrated shout. "I don't have time to go home and change!"

Liam gestured for her to calm down. "Do you have the button?"

"Yes," she all but snapped, in no mood to be calmed. She opened her right fist, displaying the offending bit of crystal, which sparkled cheerfully in the bright lights over Liam's desk. She glared at it. "What are you going to do, glue it on with your shaqarava?"

Liam tilted his head and glanced at his right palm -- no doubt wondering if he could -- before opening his desk drawer and rummaging through it. "I thought I might try a needle and thread, actually," he replied mildly, holding up a small plastic box.

"You keep a sewing kit in your desk?"

"Don't you?"

"Of course not. I can't sew."

"Well, I can. Come on." Liam led her into one of the private offices one level down, locking the door behind them. He turned one of the office chairs away from her and took a seat. "Give me your dress. I won't look."

Lili skinned out of her gown and handed it over his shoulder. Even if she _had_ been worried about him looking -- which she knew he wouldn't -- she had been to war and had long ago lost any modesty she might once have had. She watched as he carefully threaded a needle with black thread, then deftly sewed the button on, before handing the gown back over his shoulder. The whole process took about five minutes.

"Can you sew because your mother could?" Lili asked as she redressed, buttoning the bodice, her fingers lingering on the new thread before settling the skirt. "Okay, you can turn around now."

"No," Liam said, getting up and putting the chair back. "You look nice, by the way." The compliment might be off-handed, but no less sincere for that, Lili knew.

"No, not my mother," he continued. He cocked his head thoughtfully. "Well, yes, she could sew on a button. But no, it's my father who can really sew."

" _Sandoval_ sews?" Lili exclaimed incredulously. "I can't imagine him doing anything so...." She hesitated, not wanting to insult Liam.

"Menial?" Liam suggested. He shrugged and led the way back to his desk, his expression somewhat abstracted as it always was when he experienced the memories inherited from his parents. He rubbed a thumb across one of his palms, a nervous gesture that Lili would have to break him of; he really shouldn't draw attention to his hands, in case someone saw the marks of his shaqarava.

"He didn't always have the resources he does now," Liam explained. "Before the Taelons, when he was just an FBI agent, he used to have to attend to that sort of thing himself. His mother taught him the basics; she said he'd be better husband material if he could do his own mending. He can cook, too."

"And that's something else I can't imagine," Lili said lightly, her temper all but forgotten. "I'd better go; I've still got to pick up Sandoval and Zo'or on the Mothership."

Liam tucked the small sewing kit into the pocket of his jacket. "Just in case."

Lili laughed, then brushed a kiss across his cheek. "Thanks, Liam. I'll see you at the reception."

"You're welcome, Lili. Remind me, and I'll teach you how to do it for yourself when we have a few minutes."

"I'll hold you to that." She tossed a smile over her shoulder as she headed up the ramp to the shuttle deck.

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally written for the prompt "he did what I could not."


End file.
